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★★★½☆

While Wonder Woman is technically the fourth entry in DC’s Extended Universe, in many ways it’s a movie of firsts. The most prominent novelty – the fact that it’s the first female superhero movie to be directed by a woman – has been an oft-noted distinction in the build-up to the film’s release, and the feminist lens is apparent throughout. But what stays with you long after the credits roll is the movie’s heart and hope. That’s a first that DC fans like this writer have been waiting on for four years from the DCEU, and Wonder Woman has it in spades.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything here – life has been a bit crazy for me these past few months – and I’m aiming to change that in the near future. One thing I couldn’t deprive people of was my annual Summer Blockbuster AMONtage, which has grown in popularity from year to year.

Doing these edits takes me a lot of time, but the fact that I got more messages about it this year than in times past was both humbling and motivating. You can now see the fruits of this year’s labour below. Let me know what you think (and be sure to share if you enjoy it!).

I hope you’ve all had a great holiday season and are ready for the new year. 2016 is going to be HUGE for AMONymous, and a couple big changes are in the works.

Firstly, I am now going to be doing a lot more on-camera content for AMONymous. The website will still be updated, but if you want to be ahead of the game you’ll want to be subscribing to my YouTube channel here. Secondly, the content will be much more varied and regular. In addition to reviews, there will be plenty of features, interviews, competitions and much more!

To that end, here’s my top 10 most anticipated films of 2016. It’s going to be a great year.

★★★★☆

As we come to the end of The Hunger Games franchise, it feels a little strange to think that it only started out in 2012. Having efficiently cranked out an instalment each year for the past four years, it will go down as one of the swiftest (and successful) quadrilogies of all time. Whether it will go down as one of the best will likely be discussed in the coming months, but director Francis Lawrence can take pride in having concluded the series on a strong note. If Mockingjay: Part 1 was the calm, then Mockingjay: Part 2 is the angry, depressing, but no less compelling storm.

★★☆☆☆

From the classic 1953 Disney animated adaptation to Steven Spielberg’s Hook in 1991, many filmmakers have tried to reinvent J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan on the silver screen with varying results. The latest director to walk the plank is Joe Wright; giving us a new origin story for the boy who wouldn’t grow up, the occasional entertaining set-piece can’t stop Pan from being a forgettable, CGI-overloaded mess.

★★★★★

Having given us movies such as Alien and Gladiator, there is a certain amount of excitement and expectation that typically surrounds a Ridley Scott production. With a recent output that consists of Exodus: Gods and Kings, The Counsellor, and Prometheus, those expectations have not been merited or met. Thankfully the director is back on form with The Martian, a fun and smart sci-fi which will have you laughing more than most comedies.

★★½☆☆

From Orson Welles in 1948 to Roman Polanski in 1971, William Shakespeare’s Macbeth has undergone many stage and screen adaptations in its 400 year plus history. The latest attempt to translate it to the silver screen comes from Justin Kurzel. It’s only the second feature from the Australian director, but he accomplishes an impressive feat in distinguishing his take from all that has come before it. It’s just unfortunate that much of Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter is undecipherable.